Means for securing light transmitting panes in window frames



Jan. 12, 1954 R. PRYNE MEANS FOR SECURING LIGHT TRANSMITTING PANES IN WINDOW FRAMES Filed Aug. 26, 1950 IN VEN TOR.

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Patented Jan. 12, 1954 MEANS FOR SECURING LIGHT TRANSMIT- TING PANES IN WINDOW FRAMES Ralph Pryne, Pomona, Calif. Application August 26, 1950, Serial N 0. 181,658

1 Claim.

My invention relates to improvements in means for securing glass or other light transmitting panes in window frames, the primary object being to provide means by which window panes are readily and quickly applied in use or removed without the use of tools, and when applied the panes are securely held in window frames of various lighting fixtures and other light transmitting devices. Another object is to provide simple and effective means which when applied in use, window panes composed of glass or other suitable material are secured in their frames without breakin or injury. Another object is to hold the window panes tightly and under firm resilient pressure in their frames so as to prevent rattling and breaking, these and other objects being particularly directed to vehicles or any other uses.

In the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, Fig. 1 is a plan of a lighting fixture window frame such as is employed with recessed fixtures in ceilings and other walls of buildings, the view being taken when looking into the back or inner portion of the frame and showing my improved fastening means by which the pane of light transmitting material is secured in the frame by my improved fastening means; Fig. 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my improved fastener by which the light transmitting pane is held in its window frame; Fig. 4 is a section of a detail taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 when my improved fastener is removed and particularly showing one of the slots through which my improved fastener is keyed in said frame, and Fig. 5 is a section of a detail showing an alternative construction.

In the drawing, A represents my improved fastener, a pair of which are shown applied in use with a window frame B (Fig. 1), of a lighting fixture. The lighting fixture window frame is of usual construction and is provided with opposite pairs of laterally disposed front marginal band sections Iiiand ll-ll, and corresponding inwardly extending flanges which are disposed in opposite parallel pairs i2--|2 and |3-|3. The inner edge portions I 4 (Fig. 2), of the front bands project inwardly from said flanges and form a ledge or shoulder upon which a light transmitting pane of glass C or other suitable light transmitting material is supported within the frame. This portion of the structure is usual and merely represents a window frame of a light fixture or any other service device.

The primary object of my improvement is to easily and quickly removably fasten the pane of glass or other light transmitting material by suitable clips A, on the ledge H in such manner as to prevent removal without breaking the pane and without the use of tools. To this end I pro-- vide as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of fiat spring blades D-D, which are applied in parallel relation across a pair of opposite edge portions of the pane C, adjacent to the corresponding side flanges I l-l4 of the window frame as shown in Fig. 1. Normally each blade is substantially straight throughout its length although this is not necessary for its median portion can be shaped as desired. Its width is preferably not sufficient to obstruct light transmission through the pane 0.

Each end of the spring blade D is struck upwardly to form spring loops l5|5, which are spaced inwardly from the opposite ends of the blade to urge the tongues Iii-l6, longitudinally and outwardly. These tongues engage through corresponding slots ll (Fig. 4), in the opposite flanges of the window frame. In this manner an opposite pair of the spring fastening blades can be easily and quickly flexed and applied by releasing their ends through the slots so as to hold the pane of light transmitting material firmly in the window frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

When it is desired to remove the pane of light transmitting material from the window frame the fasteners can be easily sprung outwardly between their ends and detached and the pane lifted out of its frame. In applying the fasteners to hold the pane in the window frame each spring fastener is held by hand in flexed condition and its ends [6 are inserted through an opposite pair of slots I! and then released into straight normal condition as shown in the several views of the drawing. When thus applied the window pane is held securely in the window frame.

In Figure 5 an alternative construction is shown in which the spring clip or fastener A has each of its opposite ends struck laterally to form shoulders l8 and tongues IS. The shoulders l8 engage the edges of the pane C and hold the pane on the ledges l4, and the tongues I9 engage the flanges through corresponding slots such as 20.

It is to be further understood that the cross sectional shape of each blade and the shape of the cooperating blade and receiving openings in the flange portions of the window frame can be changed. Therefore to this and other ends my improvement may be modified in construction without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

In a window frame having a pair of outstanding side portions provided with a pair of opposed openings, ledges integral with said sides and extending inwardly thereof below said openings, a light-transmitting pane supported in said frame on said ledges between said sides with its edge portions below said openings, 2. spring clip engaged lengthwise acrossthe 'back of said pane and having its end portions engaged through said openings, said clip havin spring-stop, inverted- U-shaped loops adjacent its opposite ends nor mally engaging said sides under spring pressure and preventing lengthwise looseness of the clip between the sides of said frame and with the area 15 4 adjacent the inwardly disposed top of the U pressing against the pane. RALPH PRYNE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 816,187 Rodery Mar. 2'7, 1906 981,971 Steiner Nov. 27, 1934 $492,076 Wahle Dec. 20, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS .Number Country Date 308)523 "Great Britain Mar. 28, 1929 

